This cutty 16mm film shows President John F. Kennedy delivering remarks at the opening of the San Luis Dam in Los Banos, California on August 18, 1962. The film does not contain JFK's full remarks, and begins roughly halfway through his speech. A second portion is shown at about 7:50. At 4:45, a child in a Native American outfit greets the President in front of Marine One. At 7:10, Air Force One is shown arriving.  

At 11:07, Kennedy is seen on the campaign trail in Fresno, California, speaking about the concept of peace and the security of the United States. At 11:27 a passed out bystander is tended to by a policeman while at 11:44 Kennedy bumper stickers are passed out. 

At 12:30, what appears to be a reviewing stand is shown, probably at the Los Banos area. 

At 19:00, more coverage of JFK at the dam ceremony is shown. 

At 21:56 FJK is seen briefly in front of Air Force One, and then departs aboard the Marine One helicopter.

At 22:14, candidate Richard Nixon is seen speaking about the administration of welfare in the State of California. 

At 23:00, a military helicopter is seen arriving and at 23:19 Air Force One. At 27:58, more coverage of the dam opening is seen. At 29:46, a reporter speaks on camera about the dam project. At 32:44, Senator Thomas Kuchel speaks about the San Luis Reservoir. 

The San Luis Reservoir is an artificial lake on San Luis Creek in the eastern slopes of the Diablo Range of Merced County, California, approximately 12 mi (19 km) west of Los Banos on State Route 152, which crosses Pacheco Pass and runs along its north shore. It is the fifth largest reservoir in California. The reservoir stores water taken from the San Joaquin-Sacramento River Delta. Water is pumped uphill into the reservoir from the O'Neill Forebay which is fed by the California Aqueduct and is released back into the forebay to continue downstream along the aqueduct as needed for farm irrigation and other uses. Depending on water levels, the reservoir is approximately nine miles long from north to south at its longest point, and five miles (8 km) wide. At the eastern end of the reservoir is the San Luis Dam, or the B.F. Sisk Dam, the fourth largest embankment dam in the United States, which allows for a total capacity of 2,041,000 acre feet (2,518,000 dam3).

Completed in 1967 on land formerly part of Rancho San Luis Gonzaga, the 12,700 acres (5,100 ha) reservoir is a joint use facility, being a part of both the California State Water Project and Central Valley Project, which together form a network of reservoirs, dams, pumping stations, and 550 miles (885 km) of canals and major conduits to move water across California. The San Luis Reservoir is located in Merced County, and has a visitor center located at the Romero Outlook where visitors can learn more about the dam and reservoir. The surface of the reservoir lies at an elevation of approximately 544 ft (166 m), with the O'Neill Forebay below the dam at 225 ft (69 m) above sea level. This elevation difference allows for a hydroelectric plant to be constructed - the Gianelli Hydroelectric Plant. Power from this plant is sent to a Path 15 substation, Los Banos via a short power line. Those 500 kV wires, carrying both the power generated here and elsewhere, leave the area and cross the O'Neill Forebay on several man-made islands.

San Luis Reservoir also supplies water to 63,500 acres (25,700 ha) of land in the Santa Clara Valley west of the Coast Ranges. San Justo Dam stores water diverted from San Luis Reservoir through the Pacheco Tunnel and Hollister Conduit, which travel through the Diablo Range. A separate canal, the Santa Clara Tunnel and Conduit, carries water to the Coyote Pumping Station in the Santa Clara Valley.  

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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com